Monday, June 15, 2009

Advocate interview of OPM Director John Berry

The Advocate interviewed John Berry, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, before he

took the stage at Capital Pride ... [He] seemed to be prompted by growing discontent in the [LGBT] community following the Justice Department’s decision to defend the Defense of Marriage Act. Berry also denied reports that any sort of “deal” had been cut by White House officials regarding LGBT legislation and when it would be accomplished.

This president took a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and he does not get to decide and choose which laws he enforces. He has to enforce the laws that have been enacted appropriately and that he has inherited. It would be wrong for me or any of our community to advise him to lie or to shirk his responsibility. He’s doing his job. He has made clear that he stands for the repeal of DOMA. It will be part of this administration’s agenda to accomplish that act. We ought not waste energy and angst attacking him when we should be focusing the energy and effort on getting 218 votes in the house and 60 votes in the Senate, and that’s where we ought to target the energy and the strength of this community and this president is with us, this is our agenda and it’s his agenda.